Illegal mining:Google imagery brings Cong leader under scanner

Panaji, Oct 6: The Manohar Parrikar-led Public Accounts Committee (PAC), which employed latest technologies including the Google Earth Satellite Imagery to track down illegal mining in Goa, has pointed out to certain illegalities by state Congress leader Dinar Tarcar.

According to highly placed sources, the PAC has based its findings against Tarcar on the satelite images procured by the Google tool. The mine operated by Tarcar through Power of Attorney at Temebocheo Dongor in rural Goa (survey number 59/51) has been found to have been extracted several million tons of Ore.

The data provided by Mines and Geology department has specified that Tarcar's mining lease was allowed to extract only three million metric tons annually as per the Environment Clearance granted to him.

"The Google pictures of 2003 clearly show that the area was a virgin land and it is not possible to agree with any fallacious contention that several million tons of ore dump accumulated has been done on account of earlier dumps accumulation," the report mentioned.

Tarcar contested the previous State Legislative Assembly elections from Panaji constituency, and lost to Parrikar.

PTI